The Conversation

Many scientific concepts, including bushfires and climate change, happen at scales outside human perception. So how can we ever understand them? Nanda Jarosz, PhD Candidate, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Carbon emissions are chilling the atmosphere 90km above Antarctica, at the edge of space John French, Atmospheric physicist, University of Tasmania Andrew Klekociuk, Principal Research Scientist, Australian Antarctic Division and Adjunct Senior Lecturer, University of Tasmania Frank Mulligan, National University of Ireland Maynooth Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Climate-related financial risks have already entered the corporate boardroom. With this case, they’ve now come knocking at the government's door. Jacqueline Peel, Professor of Environmental and Climate Law, University of Melbourne Rebekkah Markey-Towler, Research assistant, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A public debate recently erupted among global taxonomists. Strongly-worded ripostes were exchanged. A comparison to Stalin was floated. But eventually, they worked it out. Stephen Garnett, Professor of Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University Les Christidis, Professor, Southern Cross University Richard L. Pyle, Associate lecturer, University of Hawaii Scott Thomson, Research associate, Universidade de São Paulo Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Across the NSW portion of the Murray-Darling Basin, Aboriginal people make up almost 10% of the population. Yet they hold a mere 0.2% of all available surface water. Lana D. Hartwig, Research Fellow, Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University Natalie Osborne, Lecturer, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University Sue Jackson, Professor, ARC Future Fellow, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The proposed changes to be introduced to Parliament in August may ultimately damage the natural places they're designed to protect. Megan C Evans, Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow, UNSW Peter Burnett, Honorary Associate Professor, ANU College of Law, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Households shouldn't have to do all the heavy lifting in the renewables transition. A new solar farm shows organisations and businesses how it's done. Jake Whitehead, Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellow & Tritum E-Mobility Fellow, The University of Queensland Andrew Wilson, Project Director - Warwick Solar Farm, The University of Queensland Peta Ashworth, Professor and Chair in Sustrainable Energy Futures, The University of Queensland Saphira Rekker, Lecturer Finance, The University of Queensland Tapan K Saha, Professor, Leader-UQ Solar, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new assessment found substantial warming is much more solidly assured than we thought. Steven Sherwood, ARC Laureate Fellow, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Eelco Rohling, Professor of Ocean and Climate Change, Australian National University Katherine Marvel, Associate Research Scientist, NASA Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Recent shark-related deaths fuel the debate around the best way to keep people safe in the water, without hurting marine wildlife. Debra Stokes, Lecturer in Environmental Science, Southern Cross University Andrew Colefax, Postdoctoral research fellow, Southern Cross University Betty Weiler, Professor, School of Business and Tourism, Southern Cross University Kirin Apps, Associate lecturer, Southern Cross University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

National governments are using political lobbying and empty symbolic efforts to stave off an "in danger" listing for their World Heritage sites. Tiffany Morrison, Professorial Research Fellow, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University Katrina Brown, Professor of Social Sciences, University of Exeter Maria Lemos, Professor of Environmental Justice, Environmental Policy and Planning, Climate + Energy,, University of Michigan Neil Adger, Professor of Human Geography, University of Exeter Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Tropical cyclones account for almost four in five natural disasters across Pacific Island nations. But a new forecasting tool now gives up to four months warning for the upcoming cyclone season. Andrew Magee, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Newcastle Andrew Lorrey, Principal Scientist & Programme Leader of Climate Observations and Processes, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Anthony Kiem, Associate Professor – Hydroclimatology, University of Newcastle Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In places where reusable cups are allowed, coffee drinkers, cafe owners and local governments can use insights from behavioural science to discourage use of throwaway cups. Sukhbir Sandhu, Senior Lecturer in Sustainability and Ethics, University of South Australia Robert Crocker, Senior Lecturer, Sustainable Design Theory, University of South Australia Sumit Lodhia, Professor of Accounting, University of South Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

I was a federal environment official for 13 years. I know the huge undertaking involved in the proposed environment reforms, and they should not be rushed. Peter Burnett, Honorary Associate Professor, ANU College of Law, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Moss is part of an elite squad of detection dogs that will locate threatened species in the wild and help endangered species breed in captivity. La Toya Jamieson, Wildlife Detection Dog Specialist, La Trobe University Marissa Parrott, Reproductive Biologist, Wildlife Conservation & Science, Zoos Victoria, and Honorary Research Associate, BioSciences, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

It would be the first concrete runway in Antarctica and have the biggest footprint of any project in the continent's history. Shaun Brooks, University Associate, University of Tasmania Julia Jabour, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The sugar glider is an icon of the Australian bush. But discovering it's actually three distinct species has big consequences for its conservation. Teigan Cremona, Research Associate, Charles Darwin University Alyson Stobo-Wilson, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Charles Darwin University Andrew Baker, Senior Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology Steve Cooper, Principal Researcher , South Australian Museum Sue Carthew, Provost and Vice President, Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

"Frankly, why should any hospital purchase coal-fired energy when it produces toxic air pollution that harms health?" Anthony Capon, Director, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University Arunima Malik, Lecturer in Sustainability, University of Sydney David Pencheon, Honorary Professor, Exeter UK / Adjunct Professor, Monash Sustainable Development Institute / Visiting Professor, Surrey UK Helga Weisz, Professor of Industrial Ecology and Climate Change, Humboldt University of Berlin Manfred Lenzen, Professor of Sustainability Research, School of Physics, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Protecting the continent’s remaining pristine wilderness areas is urgent, but achievable. Rachel Leihy, PhD candidate, Monash University Steven Chown, Professor of Biological Sciences, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

They're more used to taking visitors to the reefs, but COVID-19 gave tour operators time to help check the condition of the corals. What they found doesn't bode well. James Paton Gilmour, Research Scientist: Coral Ecology, Australian Institute of Marine Science Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In Australia, methane emissions from fossil fuels are rising due to expansion of the natural gas industry, whereas agriculture emissions are falling. Pep Canadell, Chief research scientist, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere; and Executive Director, Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Ann Stavert, Project Scientist Ben Poulter, Research scientist, NASA Marielle Saunois, Enseignant-chercheur, Laboratoire des sciences du climat et de l’environnement (LSCE), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ) – Université Paris-Saclay Paul Krummel, Research Group Leader, CSIRO Rob Jackson, Chair, Department of Earth System Science, and Chair of the Global Carbon Project, globalcarbonproject.org, Stanford University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.